Locomotive-cab seat



J. PURCELL.

LOCOMOTIVE CAB SEAT.

Patented Oct. 26,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J; PURCELL;

LO'COMOTIVE CAB SEAT.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 16, 1919. I 1,356,558. v Patented Oct-26, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- J. PURCELL.

LOCOMOTIVE CAB SEAT.

APPLlCATlON FILED OCT. 16, 1919.

1,356,558. Patented Oct. 26,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

JOHN P RCELL, or ToPEKA, KANSAS.

LOCOMOTIVE-CABI SEAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 26, 1920.

Application filed October 16, 1919. Serial No. 331,084.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN PURCELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Topeka, in the county of Shawnee and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locomotive-Cab Seats, of which the following is a specification. 4

. My invention relates to an adjustable seat suitable for use in locomotive cabs or other analogous situations, and has for its primary object to provide an improved seat of this character which may be readily and conveniently adjusted to different heights or desired inclined positions to comfortably support the body of persons using the seat so that their hands or eyes, or both, will be at the level most convenient for the performance of their work. A locomotive cab seat having the adjustable feature of my invention makes it possible to support the bodies of persons of different heights, engineers for example, so that their hands will be at a level most convenient for the manipulation of the control levers or other devices of the locomotive and so that their eyes will be at a level providing the most convenient vision of the trackway and signals.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable seat of the above character having suitable springs and upholstering to absorb injurious shocks and vibrations, and to provide a suitable receptacle, in combination therewith, for tools, waste and small equipment commonly carried on locomotives. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved locomotive cab seat and box of the abovemharacter in which access to the interior of the box may be had 'without disturbing the adjustment of the seat.

The invention has for further objects the novel arrangements, constructions and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed for carrying out the above stated objects and such other objects as will appear from the following description.

My invention is illustrated in certain preferred embodiments in the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference designate like parts, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a View in perspective of one corner of a locomotive cab, showing a cab seat constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the cab seat shown in-Fig. 1 and illustrating in dotted lines the position which the seat cushion assumes when the box is opened;

F g. 3 is a fragmentary view in elevation showing one of the brackets employed in my invention for adjustably supporting the seat cushion in different positions;

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4; Figs. 6 and 7 are side views in elevation illustrating two modifications, and

F g. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the base of the seats shown in Figs. 6 and 7 showing a modified form of supporting bracket which may be used in connection with any of the above constructions.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive of the drawings, 10 designates the window opening in one of the side walls 11. of a locomotive cab, and 12 one of the cab platforms. The cab seatshown in the drawings is preferably positioned adjacent the side window 10 and consists of a base portion or box 13 of wood construction which, for the purpose of convenience, is shown as mounted on legs 14:. The top of the box 18 is closed by a lid 15. which is hinged to the forward end of the box as indicated at 16. A back rest cushion 17 is supported on upstanding metal strips 18, 19 which in turn are secured as indicated at 20 to the rear upper corner of the base 13. By having the back cushion secured to the base 1.3 the entire seat may be moved from one position to another. However, under certain conditions, such, for example, as when it is de sired that the base have a fixed position in the cab, the back rest cushion may be secured in a suit-able position to some fixed element of the cab, the rear wall, for example. The adjustable seat cushion of my invention is designated generally at 21 and consists preferably of a box-like frame 22 in which are suitably positioned a plurality of coil springs 23. A layer of cloth, such, for example, as duck or burlap, is supported on the upper ends of the springs 23, and a layer of padding material 25 is spread over the upper surface of said cloth. A flexible covering 26 extends over the padding material so as to hold the same in place and is secured, in any suitable manner, to the frame 22. The seat portion is adjustably supported on the base by means of four vertically disposed rack members 27. These members are firmly secured to the corners of the frame 22 by means of screws of bolts 28. The racks 27 are each provided with a slot 29, one edge of which a is formed with a plurality of teeth 30 which provide notches 31 adapted to be operatiyely engaged with a bracket designated generally at 32. The bracket elements shown in the above figures of the drawings are preferably secured to the lid 15 of the base and consist of a web portion which is screwed or otherwise suitably secured to the lid as indicated at 32 and formed with an arm 33 which projects beyond the edge of the lid 15. This arm is provided with an inwardly projecting stud 34 which extends through the slot 29 of the rack member.

A. keeper element 35 is secured to the lid 15 and is formed on its under surface with a,

v members 27 are in effect permanently secured to the base member in the space 38 between the arm 33 and the edge of the lid 15, so that the seat portion 21 will not be accidentally disconnected from the base portion. When the adjustable seat portion is in thepositionindicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, there is preferably a slight space as indicated at 39 between the rear edge of the seat cushion and the back rest. This space is preferably just sufficient to permit the seat cushion to be; moved the necessary distance rearwardly to' permit 'the rack teeth to be freely disengaged from the stud 34 and to provide sufiicient clearance to permit the lid 15 of the base 13 to be. raised or lowered when desired without requiring any changes to be made in. the adjusted position of the seat. In Fig. 2 of the drawngs I have shown in dotted lines the lid 1n ts wide open position, though it will ordinarily be unnecessary to open the lid to its wide open position when access to the interior of the box is desired. When the lid 15 is not moved to its entirely open position there is very little danger of the adjustable seat portion being displaced from its adjusted position. The vback rest 17 is preferably disposed with relation to the base 13 so that the seat cushion 21 may be elevated to its highest position without interfering with the opening movement of the lid 15 and so that the lower edge of the back rest cushion 17 will extend'a s'uflicient distance below the upper surface of the seat cushion 21 when the latter; is in its lowest position to avoidproviding a space of objectionable width between the seat cushion "and the back rest.

.nection with the preceding figures.

When it is desired to .adjust the cushioned seat portion, the cushion is raised and moved slightly toward the back rest, so that the studs 34 are freed from the slots 31. When in this position the seat may be raised, lowered or tilted to any desired positionand the rack teeth again engaged with the studs 34 so as to hold the seat cushion in the said adjusted position.

It will be observed that in the constructions illustrated the teeth on the rack members are preferably arranged so as to curve forwardly and downwardly over the slots, so that the adjustment of the seat can not be disengaged from'its adjustable supports except by moving it upwardly and backwardly. In fact, in a preferred construction the teeth form hooks so that the weight of the seat,

especially from the varying weight of the occupant, will resist any disengagement of the seat from its adjustable supports while leaving the seat freely adjustable. This," of

course, is important in a locomotive cab seat which is subjected to the swaying and jolting of the locomotive when in rapid movement, and where it is important for reasons of being the full equivalent ofthe structure claimed. The foregoing arrangements also insure that the seat will not be disengaged from its adjustable supports when the cover carrying the seat is swung to the position shown at the right in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 6 is shown a modification in which the base element 35 and the lid 36 are of an all-metal construction. The seat cushion 37 is adjustably supported on brackets 38 by means of rack members 27 in substantially the same manner as that described in clonhe brackets 38, however, are somewhat different in construction from the brackets shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive. Each of the brackets 38 herein shown consists preferably of an arm having a flange 39 formed at one end thereof adapted to be secured to the lid 36 of the base, andformed at the other end with a cylindrical portion or stud 40, terminating in flange 41 which is secured to the lid 36 in any suitable manner. This bracket obviously could be used in connection with any of the safety that the drivers seat shall not be acforms shown in the drawings, as the teeth of In'Fig. 6 I preferably support the upholstered back rest 42 by means of pressed metal elements 43 which are secured to the side wall of the base member 35.

In Fig. 7 is shown another modification in which the base portion, seat cushion and the operative connection of the latter with the base portion are constructed and operated in substantially the same manner as that shown and described in connection with Fig. 6.

In Fig. 7 the back rest 34 preferably extends over the edge of the seat cushion so that this form of seat will occupy as little space in the locomotive cab as possible, this being desirable, for example, when more than one of said seats are placed on the same side of the locomotive cab. The back cushion 44 is preferably supported on the base portion of the seat by means of metal straps 45 which are ofiset as indicated at 46 so as to permit the seat portion to be adjusted or the lid of the base to be opened in substantially the same manner as that shown and described in the other figures of the drawmgs.

\Vhile I have described my invention in ('crtain preferred embodiments, it will be obvious that further modification in structure may be made without departure from the spirit of my invention. I, therefore, wish it to be understood that my invention contemplates all such modifications in structure coming within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A locomotive cab seat of the character described, comprising an all-metal box having a hinged lid, a back rest secured to said box, av seat member normally projecting under the lower edge of said back rest, and means for adjustably connecting said seat member to the lid, comprising bracket elements secured to the lid and rack members secured to said seat member and adapted to engage said brackets to hold the said seat in various adjusted positions.

2. A locomotive cab seat of the character described, comprising a box having a hinged lid, a back rest, means for securing said back rest to the box, comprising elements secured to the back rest and to the side walls of said box, a seat member, and means for adjustably connecting said seat member to said lid,.whereby the seat portion may be adjusted to various positions without interfering with the opening or closing of the lid.

JOHN PURCELL. 

